Chapter 57: Abrupt End
Secret historians from various countries have been unable to reach a unanimous agreement on the timeline regarding the emergence of the bloodline. The most widely accepted viewpoint is that rumors of vampires first appeared during the fifth century BC in the Macedonian Kingdom, in what is now Bulgaria, which has become the preferred starting point for tracing the ancestral lineage of the bloodline by historians.
The Sofia bloodline is considered to be the earliest ancestral lineage of the bloodline and is named after Sofia, the capital of modern Bulgaria. Using the Greek Peninsula as a springboard, the Sofia bloodline spread along the Mediterranean trade routes, entering the Italian Peninsula, where a third ancestral lineage appeared, named the Apennine bloodline.
Subsequently, with the rise of Alexander’s Empire, the Sofia bloodline accelerated its expansion, leading to the birth of the third ancestral lineage in the Caucasus region, named the Caucasian bloodline. As the Roman Empire defeated Carthage, the Apennine bloodline surged into North Africa and reached the Iberian Peninsula, evolving into a fourth ancestral lineage known as the Iberian bloodline. Soon after entering Western Europe, it further diversified into the fifth ancestral lineage, known as the Rhine bloodline.
Meanwhile, the Eastern Caucasian bloodline also accelerated its expansion eastward and southward during the same period, leading to the emergence of a sixth ancestral lineage, the Altai bloodline, and a seventh ancestral lineage, the Ganges bloodline. The Altai bloodline continued to spread eastward, resulting in the eighth ancestral lineage, the Siberian bloodline.
During the peak of the Roman Empire, Emperor Claudius invaded Britain, leading to the appearance of the last ancestral lineage, named the British bloodline. Thus, the nine major ancestral lineages were formed and remained stable until the Middle Ages, casting an invisible shadow over the entire world.
In the fourteenth century AD, the second empire in Bulgarian history was destroyed by the Ottoman Empire, and the Sofia bloodline mysteriously went extinct in the following century. After that, there were only eight ancestral lineages of the bloodline left in the world. Nobody knows how the well-recognized first ancestral lineage, the Sofia bloodline, could disappear completely in such a short span of a century.
Some believe that given the level of technological development in human society at the time, even if all secret demon-hunting organizations in Europe worked together, they could not have exterminated the entire Sofia bloodline within a century. Theoretically, only the bloodline could easily detect another bloodline, so historians speculate that the extinction of the Sofia bloodline was likely caused by a joint attack from other ancestral lineages. As for the reasons behind it, no one knows.
…
On September 10, Tuesday, at 10 AM, in the capital city of Hua country.
At a military stronghold, a secret meeting was in progress, attended by the main heads from the five major Dark Arrow surveillance districts around the country.
“This is absolutely ridiculous! Three action teams, including two heritage teams, were ambushed by two foreign vampire barons, and one heritage team was almost completely wiped out! This is the greatest disgrace in the history of Dark Arrow! Han Wei, the 430 work group falls under your direct leadership, and your western surveillance district has truly embarrassed the whole nation!”
A balding Major General was roaring at the conference table, slamming his palm down, his face dark and frightening.
For a moment, almost all the old soldiers at the conference table displayed meaningful expressions or whispered among themselves.
Sitting in the corner of the conference table, the deputy commander of the western surveillance district, Han Wei, who also held the rank of Major General, pursed his lips and said nothing, simply calmly stroking the teacup in front of him.
In contrast to the silent Han Wei, the white-haired Major General Commander of the western surveillance district, Wang Hongjun, had a pale face and was visibly angry. Wang Hongjun clearly wouldn’t allow others from the surveillance districts to criticize his old partner. He immediately stood up, pained expression on his face.
“I trust Old Han and all the members of the 430 work group; all their plans were made with utmost diligence! However, our opponents evidently possess more intelligence than we do, which led to the heavy losses of the embroidered clothes team. But we cannot deny the efforts and sacrifices made by the fighters from the entire western surveillance district just because of this failure!”
Wang Hongjun’s words were thunderous, as talking about the disastrous defeat resonated with everyone present, as each surveillance district head had experienced such events over the past seventy years since the founding of the nation.
“Alright, today is not a meeting to denounce; this incident has not yielded no gains, as it further confirms that the X497.4.30 operation incident is a conspiracy that has been brewing for decades, deeply colluding with foreign vampire forces! All our strategic and tactical arrangements need adjustments!”
A middle-ranking general at the main seat stood up, first nodding to the two leaders from the western surveillance district, then addressing everyone present to characterize the recent defeat.
“On behalf of headquarters, I announce the formal dissolution of the 430 work group; all related intelligence and follow-up action plans will be merged into the specially classified action group directly under headquarters.”
The general’s expression was solemn, and his tone was lowered: “This specially classified action group is directly led by headquarters, with no direct connection to the surveillance districts, but its execution priority is higher than all of your current work!”
As soon as these words were said, everyone present was taken aback, except for Han Wei, especially Wang Hongjun beside him, who looked extremely baffled, as if hearing for the first time that there was a specially classified action group under headquarters.
“Do you remember seventy years ago, when headquarters received top-secret intelligence from Comrade Su about vampire forces from certain Western European countries brewing a mysterious global layout plan before the First World War, which also included our country? So, the then-leaders of headquarters established a specially classified action group…”
“Wu Zhongxian! Please watch your language; you are saying too much!”
Han Wei suddenly stood up, his face filled with anger, as if this Wu-ranking general of headquarters’ third figure was leaking an extraordinary secret, and he became entirely impolite while addressing him.
“Old Han, don’t be anxious; I’m just letting everyone have a sense of the situation. I can now confirm that the challenges faced by the 430 work group are directly related to the specially classified action group of headquarters. There are many lessons to be learned from this failure.”
“However, while I feel pained, I am also comforted, as nearly seventy years have passed. The specially classified action group has changed several groups of comrades. Now we have finally obtained the latest clues; the sacrifices made by the embroidered clothes team will not be in vain…”
At this moment, a few tears appeared in the old general’s eyes, but his expression remained determined.
Once the discussion turned to the most core secrets at the headquarters level, the faces of everyone present, including the balding major general, grew serious, and the previous anger dissipated instantly.
“This gathering is to draw a conclusion regarding the incidents from a few days ago, and on the other hand, headquarters will also make appropriate adjustments to the core work direction going forward. As per usual practice, the content of this meeting is strictly confidential.”
For the following hour, heads from various surveillance districts could only mentally note the meeting’s content without leaving any written records.
After the meeting concluded, Wang Hongjun and Han Wei boarded the waiting vehicle outside the building. Inside the car, the chief of staff of the western surveillance district, Zhen Guangquan, was waiting.
Although Zhen Guangquan was also a senior leader of the western surveillance district, his colonel rank still did not qualify him to attend such high-level secret meetings, and he had only come to the capital as an accompanying staff member.
“Chief of Staff Zhen, there may be an insider in the western surveillance district.”
As soon as he sat down, Wang Hongjun abruptly said, “Someone is eating from both sides and colluding with foreign vampire forces. They must know that the last time we executed a B-level mission, the time, location, and troop strength were all crystal clear, even knowing that the target we were pursuing was Xia Yan and Gu Yao!”
“Two barons from the Rhine bloodline turned our preselected battlefield into their home turf.”
After speaking, Wang Hongjun raised a hand to cover his reddened eyes. After the D city operation a few months ago, this was the second time the western surveillance district had suffered heavy losses, with both heritage teams being severely crippled.
“Old Wang, although headquarters has not disclosed other information about Xia Yan and Gu Yao as B-level mission targets due to confidentiality principles, their importance and value in terms of impact are self-evident.”
Han Wei sighed deeply, and although his expression was much better than Wang Hongjun’s, his tone was very unfriendly: “Someone is blocking our pursuit of Xia Yan and Gu Yao; otherwise, they wouldn’t lay such targeted traps. Zhen Guangquan, organize an internal investigation!”
“Old Wang, I plan to suspend all members who participated in the 430 work group, including Meng Huai and Han Bi… Headquarters will also begin an investigation into where the action plan was leaked.”
Han Wei’s words showed no favoritism, which was his consistent style.
“Old Han, let Meng Huai just take a leave of absence; I’ve seen his medical report, and a kid like him wouldn’t have any issues in such life-or-death situations. As for Han Bi, she is your biological daughter, and she is still lying in the hospital; you should know her better than I do!”
Wang Hongjun interrupted his old partner’s next words immediately, while Zhen Guangquan quickly took out paper and pen, diligently recording the latest instructions from the two commanders.
…
“Who told you to come see me? Get out!”
Han Bi threw a fruit basket on the bedside table towards the half-open door.
Her pale face, disheveled hair, and that pair of bloodshot eyes filled with fear, despair, rage, and regret all showed that she had not yet emerged from her nightmare.
For two whole days, Han Bi had been hysterical in her hospital room.
“I’m here to tell you the final casualty figures; if you don’t want to hear them, I’ll leave.”
Meng Huai stood at the door, his military uniform neat, his posture tall, maintaining a calm demeanor.
“Ha, Meng Huai, are you trying to take revenge for that moment months ago when I sarcastically remarked about you in this very hospital room?”
Han Bi turned her cold face away, gritting her teeth.
“I’ve met several members of the Han family, but none have a pride as strong as yours.”
The operational deployment plan must have been leaked. The opponents didn’t merely figure out your intentions; they knew more than you expected.”
Meng Huai walked to the bedside, pulled over a chair, and placed the fruit he was holding onto the small cabinet.
Han Bi’s body trembled slightly as she slowly lowered her head, gripping the bedsheets tightly, her tears dripping onto the blanket, soaking a large patch of it, her throat choking up with sobs.
After a long pause, Han Bi finally murmured, “How many… sacrificed…”
Meng Huai took off his military cap, set it beside the bed, reached into his pocket, and placed a piece of paper by Han Bi’s side:
“Post-war statistics, excluding the special team that assisted from the Central Surveillance District, on the day the embroidered clothes team rushed into the medical building, a total of ninety-six team members, thirty-five were killed on the spot, seventeen were unsuccessfully rescued, twenty sustained heavy injuries, and two were blood-enslaved.”
“The blood invasion probability for those turned by blood is very low; this is already the best possible outcome…”
Before Meng Huai could finish, Han Bi burst into tears again, clutching him tightly, her fist pounding against his back.
Looking down at the body trembling against him, Meng Huai didn’t know how to respond and could only stare blankly.
A female officer had just entered the hospital room and instantly saw the scene before her, quickly averting her gaze and retreating.
“If there’s something, just come in.”
Meng Huai’s peripheral vision caught the figure of Tao Qiao’er retreating, and he said in a solemn voice: “Is there another seriously injured person who didn’t make it?”
“Yes, Commander Meng… Captain Han… I just received a call from Chief of Staff Zhen…”
Tao Qiao’er stood a bit awkwardly by the bedside, hesitating to speak.
“Just say it directly.”
Meng Huai furrowed his brows slightly and gently helped Han Bi, who had stopped crying but still buried her head in his chest, unwilling to look up.
“The commander has announced that starting today, the Xuanjia team and the embroidered clothes team will withdraw from standby duties and transition into normal combat preparation. Commander Meng, you are now on leave, with the duration to be determined. Captain Han, you are the same, being forced to take leave…”
Tao Qiao’er’s gaze drifted, still a bit flustered. “The commander had Deputy Captain Zhao take over the battalion’s stationed base; I will temporarily be responsible for the daily operations of the assault team and support team… Commander Meng, is there anything you would like to remind?”
“Nothing much; I’ll hand over to Deputy Captain Zhao later… You should return to the base and get the training organized; if there are any unclear points, you can ask Chief of Staff Zhen.”
Meng Huai maintained a neutral expression, lightly nodding, as if he had anticipated everything.
Tao Qiao’er opened her mouth, ultimately not saying anything. After giving a military salute, she exited.
When the door closed, Meng Huai gently patted the back of the woman in his arms: “They’ve gone; let go.”
Han Bi secretly lifted her head, glanced around the room, and upon seeing that there was no one else, she blushed and pressed her face against Meng Huai’s chest again: “Now we’re both in trouble… Meng Huai, chase me, okay? I’m easy to pursue…”
“…”
Seeing that he did not react, as if even his heartbeat hadn’t changed, Han Bi bit her lip: “If you don’t want to waste time dating, we can get married anytime in the future and have two kids, but one must be a boy and take the Han surname, or else my dad’s line ends; if they’re all girls…”
“…”
Meng Huai remained indifferent, causing Han Bi’s face to redden further: “Actually, I…”
“The nurse’s station needs to change Major Han’s dressing.”
Meng Huai suddenly grabbed the bedside call button and coolly called out.
“Smack!”
As soon as he finished speaking, Han Bi, regardless of her injuries, shot up and slapped Meng Huai, the crisp sound startling the medical staff in the hallway.
The door opened slightly, and after a few seconds of shadowy figures, it quietly closed again.
Meng Huai stood completely still, quietly staring at the woman in front of him, whose various emotions showed discomfort, as if the earlier slap hadn’t landed on his own face at all.
